Unlike our previous releases, this is a Solo XFCE build, focusing on bringing XFCE visually on par with modern desktop enviroments while at the same time keeping stability and speed a top priority. This is our 4th Release and a major stepping stone as we have moved away from Ubuntu and moved completely to Debian as a base for this and future versions. This version is built from scratch and has undergone extensive testing while using it on a daily basis.

Major changes since 3.0 :

Moved to Debian Testing.Rolling Release.Upgraded kernel to 3.10.3EXTREMELY stable and fast.Single Desktop Environment ( XFCE upgraded to 4.10 ).Easy to use Traditional Style Environment.Complete new look ( Themes, Icons, Decorations, Wallpaper, lots of customisations throughout Environment ).Focus on alot of transparency.Featuring Complete out of the box pre installed software, codecs, flash player and games.Switched from Opera to Chromium with plenty customisations added.All software updated to latest versionsSwitched to NeroLinux & NeroLinux Express as default Cd/DVD Burner ( XFburn is included as well )Steam Debian preinstalled and working with fixes applied.Wine pre installed and working.Nitroshare replaces Samba.Fully working Device Driver manager.Conky Manager featuring 80+ pre installed conky'sUSB Stick formatter.Android Device USB Auto Sync (can now auto sync Makulu with Android mobile phone in USB mode)Number of new custom thunar actions including mounting ISO files.Lots of features throughout the distro...

GNU/Linux wasn't started to give people a free version of Windows, it was started to give people control and by including Flash and Adobe reader and proprietary graphics drivers you're compromising that control and sending the message that it's OK to have and use proprietary software; that it's OK to encumber your system with the same nonsense that Windows and OSX are encumbered with. How are we ever going to break out of this prison if people keep putting Linux into the same cell?What, ultimately, is the difference between your distro and Mint, Manjaro or any of the other distros that come preloaded with proprietary muck? Some of the build numbers on some of the packages are higher than on other distros. And that's all.

Kudos for your effort, but please, try to understand how this doesn't actually help at all, but just perpetuates the problem that OpenSource was created to solve.Think of it this way - if your house was on fire, would you accept a solution that put the flames out in some of the rooms or all of the rooms? At the moment, distros with added proprietary stuff is the "partially extinguished flame" solution. People need to take a stand and they can't do that if they are perpetually being misled.

How much better would it be to release a distro that had only free software (Debian with the non-free repos disabled, for example) and a series of explanations available as to why flash content is unreliable and why big chunky 3d games are not possible, with suggestions as to where to join and what to do to help remedy this?

Not everyone *wants* to "make a stand" .. most just want ease of use, functionality, and free .. oh,and non-windows.

I get your point(s) .. we could certainly do without flash, theree's absolutely no need for "adobe" reader, and a world where all drivers were open source from the manufacturers would be nice .. but just because something would be "nice" doesn't mean *everyone* should be forced into *some* peoples crusade.

I HATE flash with a vengeance and wish it would hurry up and die .. but the fact is, it's still a big part of the web .. if you're starting a distro, and don't include it (at least as an easy install option) you're seriously limiting your audience .. does that make sense ?

Don't get me wrong .. the world *needs* crusaders, but getting them through conscription probably isn't the way forward

I seem to recall someone saying "Linux/FOSS is for everyone" .. which to me means there's room for any and all types .. and I for one wouldn't discourage anyone for developing in the Linux world, even if they're developing something I have no need for

As for some peoples "too many spin-off distros" argument .. I couldn't care less if *every* user built his *own* distro .. they're still using Linux aren't they .. that's one of the things I LOVE about Linux/FOSS is its modularity, through modularity come experimentation and choice.

but just because something would be "nice" doesn't mean *everyone* should be forced into *some* peoples crusade.

I'm not trying to force anyone into a crusade. Heavily hinting perhaps...I pointed out that there's already several distros that do exactly what this new one does. Whereas, the number of viable distros that offer 100% free, with explanations of why that matters, can be numbered on one hand of a severely frost bitten man.The Free Software Foundation lists a few - Ututo, Gnewsense, Trisquel, Musix, Dyne:bolic, Blag, Dragora and Parabola. Of those - Trisquel is based on Ubuntu and pretty much works out of the box. Musix has just released a new version. The rest, for the most part are either way out of date, out of development or so hard to set up and running that they more or less defeat themselves from the outset.

I get the "my hardware doesn't work at all without proprietary drivers" argument. But what drives me up the wall is the way that GNU/Linux is subverted (and that it is the right word) by the distros that brag about having added all the closed source rubbish "for your convenience". But it's false consciousness. It doesn't make Linux groovy, it lets the movement down. The only way a sufficiently large number of people will ever get things changed is if they abandon proprietary code and begin to pester for open source equivalents.So I say again- people need to be encouraged to take a stand.The god of convenience is a false god who always lets his followers down. Convenience food has led to obesity and ill health.Convenience shopping has led to the dying high street and unemployment.Convenience banking has done the same.Everything we have lost we have lost through pandering to convenience.

I couldn't agree more, but I'm the type that "roots" for the crusaders but is far too lazy to take part

If your first line hadn't included "just what the world needs", I'd probably not have said anything .. I know you probably didn't mean it to come off as discouraging, but it could easily have done just that so I figured I'd give a "pep" talk

Here's the thing .. I don't think "desktop" Linux is powerful enough to change the closed source worlds mind yet .. so I figure, getting the numbers up should probably be the first goal .. take Android, everyone's (ok most) onboard with writing open source drivers for the kernel simply because the number of users speaks volumes, there are a few hardware companies that AREN'T open sourcing the drivers but because of the sheer numbers of developers they're getting backwards engineered pretty quickly.

Once Linux has the power to influence the manufactures (and software houses), then it only takes a few strategically placed crusaders to change the world

The god of convenience IS false .. but jeez isn't she a temptress, and bountiful

Logged

WARNING: You are logged into reality as 'root'logging in as 'insane' is the only safe option.pcnetspec.co.uk

the nice thing about linux is that it comes in all sizes and flavours. If you dont like a bloated distro with everything pre installed and chosen for you, there are plenty lightweight distro's out there that you can sit for a week customizing as you see fit.

My goal was simple, I love linux, iv'e been trying to get my friends to leave windows for linux, and i have failed horribly for years, even the likes of Ubuntu and mint couldnt convert them, yet 2 of them are literally calling me daily now to ask when they can get a copy of Makulu... I set out to convert Windows users to Linux, to take the winning formula of Ubuntu and Mint and make it better, XFCE is already stable, its already fast, but it lacks flavor, eye candy and user friendliness to new users.

With Ubuntu going down a new road and becoming less popular, users are more and more turning to debian, and lets face it, debian is not for the feint hearted and definitely not noob friendly, So my goal was to create a noob friendly Debian release, and to do it in style ... and while this may not appeal to you, i assure you there are people who is looking for exactly that, its what makes this world unique afterall, Choice and difference in preferences...

I havnt just entered the scene, ive been around the block, been using linux since back in the days of Mandrake, watched for many years how the linux world has evolved, and Ive seen what majority of users want, people are lazy, they dont want to configure anything anymore, they simply want to log in and everything must work out the box, this is how the world works now, like it or not ...

Ill just end this with simply saying this : I welcome all feedback, both good and bad since it can only help me improve what i started, but in the end I think just be glad that there is one more distribution out there to choose from, afterall with every new distribution the linux world just becomes that little much bigger.

I'm not sure, I plan to do a Mate, KDE, Cinnamon and possibly E17 versions as well, I had to start somewhere and XFCE seemed as good a place as any, the fact that it was definitely the ugliest desktop of the lot and therefore I knew would make the biggest impact with what i had in mind in terms of eye candy is probly what appealed to me most to start there, I have never really been a big fan of LXDE, doubt i will make a distro based on that, unless ofcourse i get flooded with requests to do so. But then again, last year i hated xfce and now its one of my favorites, funny how that works ...

In my opinion XFCE was/is a good choice. Specially as you seem to want to install everything but the kitchen sink. Personally I would stick with one DE and concentrate on that. You can give options for your distro users to install other DE's if they want it. So many distro start ups fail because they have not got the manpower to deal with every aspects of every flavour they offer.